1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the reduction of reducible compounds with aluminum dihydrocarbon dihydrides of sodium, potassium or lithium as reducing agents.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The production of sodium aluminum diethyl dihydride and its use as a reducing agent is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,248. It is disclosed in that patent that sodium aluminum diethyl dihydride is an excellent, mild and selective reducing agent for various compounds such as those containing carbonyl, nitrile or amide groups.
Although the fundamental addition reaction takes place smoothly as does the succeedant hydrolysis reaction, one difficulty experienced in the use of sodium aluminum diethyl dihydride and like reducing agents is that the complexes formed by the addition to the al--H bonds of the aluminum compound of the functional groups being reduced also contain al--R bonds which on hydrolysis, as for example with water in neutral, basic or acidic environment, yield hydrocarbon. Although such hydrocarbon liberation might at one time have been considered inconsequential, the advent of environmental concern and controls and limitation upon the release of hydrocarbons to the atmosphere raises certain problems. In short, it would be desired to avoid or minimize the liberation of hydrocarbon connected with the use of sodium aluminum diethyl dihydride and like reducing agents.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process whereby the production of volatile hydrocarbons in the course of reductions using aluminum dihydrocarbon dihydrides of sodium, potassium or lithium is materially reduced or avoided altogether.